An Opposition politician in Goa wants Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar summoned as a witness or made party to a defamation case, on grounds that he was only quoting a file noting made by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) State vice-president Trajano D’mello in his reply filed with the Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought that Parrikar be summoned as a defence witness in the defamation case.
D’Mello has also alleged that the defamation suit has been filed against him by Percept India, at the instance of Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, against whom he has already filed a public interest litigation (PIl) in connection with a land-grabbing case.
“The Defendant No. 1 (D’Mello) states that it is imperative that Manohar Parrikar, who is the Chief Minister, should be made a party to the present suit and in the alternative this Hon’ble Court should summon Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as a witness in the present suit,” D’Mello has said in his affidavit before the Bombay High Court.
Percept India has accused D’Mello of making false accusations during a Press conference that bribes had been paid to the Tourism Minister last year to organise Sunburn, held annually in Goa. A defamation notice and a gag order has also been issued to a local English daily for publishing the news story by Percept India.
D’Mello further claimed that he was only raising questions about alleged graft in the granting of permissions for the festival by the Tourism Ministry and has attached a copy of the Chief Minister’s official file noting to a Goa Government principal secretary as evidence to suggest the allegations are not his own.
“Sunburn has been a big headache due to Complaints of drugs/smoking/traffic jam and allegations of kickbacks, forced to give free tickets. Unless these issues are sorted out all such festivals need a re-look. May discuss for clarity,” says Parrikar’s official noting, attached as evidence by D’Mello along with his reply to the defamation notice.
“I say that the file notings show that the Chief Minister of the State of Goa, Manohar Parrikar has stated himself that there have been allegations of kickbacks regarding the Sunburn festival and that the Chief Minister was himself seized of the said issue of kickbacks being paid by Sunburn festival,” D’Mello has said.